


Cliché

by TheSassBrit



Category: Dragon Age (Video Games), Dragon Age: Inquisition
Genre: Alternate Universe - Firefighters, Cullen as a firefighter, F/M, First Kiss, First Meetings, Fluff, M/M, Tessa as a nurse
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-01-15
Updated: 2016-02-16
Packaged: 2018-05-14 02:04:48
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 7,648
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5725651
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TheSassBrit/pseuds/TheSassBrit
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Tessa Trevelyan thought she was a good pet owner. She treated her kitten like her baby. But what happens one day when she finds her poor baby in the tree? </p><p>AU where Cullen is a firefighter and Tessa is a nurse. </p><p>Trust me, it works.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Stuck

Tessa’s day started out pretty normal. 

She had got up on time and had her cup of tea in the morning. She got to watch the sunrise with her little kitten, Sera, perched on her lap, purring away. She was even able to get the mail without having to scramble about and run around. She walked calmly to her mailbox and back without a worry. Sera usually followed her, the little yellow cat was never one to stay put and she followed Tessa around like a shadow when she was home. Normally, she would follow Tessa right back inside. 

Tessa then went to work like any other day. Being a nurse was stressful most of the time but today was slow paced and a welcome break from the usual bustle of the trauma center. 

It was only when she got home did she notice something was wrong. 

As soon as she stepped out of her car, she heard a pathetic meowing sound come from…above her? She looked around in confusion before staring up at the tree branches above her with a gasp. Her little baby was up in the tree, meowing at the top of her lungs and shaking like a leaf. 

“Sera! I’m so sorry baby, hang on!” Tessa yelped dropping her bag and going to the base of the tree. Unfortunately, there were no low branches, so Tessa wasn’t going to show off her tree climbing skills that day. 

A curse slipped past her lips as she thought about what to do. She had just moved into her little bungalow from an apartment so she didn’t have a single decent ladder or anything of that sort in her garage. She started to pace in worry, wondering if she should race over to her friend’s house across the street and borrow theirs. Eryn was always her stable rock in the past and she was sure her friend would come through again. 

“Are you okay?”

Tessa halted in her tracks and looked for the source of the voice. 

Now, Tessa wasn’t really one to be struck speechless by a pretty face, but this was an exception. 

The man was looking at her, amber eyes filled with concern. Tessa noticed the box of pizza he was holding, but he didn’t look like a delivery boy. Oh no, he had on a t-shirt that fitted him perfectly and jeans. His blond hair was pushed back and her eyes strayed toward the scar on his lip. 

Tessa spluttered when she realized she was staring and she gestured up to her poor kitten in the tree. “Sorry, my bab—I-I mean my cat is stuck and I’m trying to figure out how to get her down.”

The man’s eyes strayed up to Sera and they widened when he found the kitten. “Do you have a ladder? I can help,” he said. He gestured to the back of her car and the pizza he was holding and Tessa nodded, wondering if all of this was really happening. He set the pizza down and started to walk around the tree, probably trying to find where a ladder would help the most. 

“You don’t have to! I don’t have one but I can borrow one from my neighbors and I don’t want you to get hurt and—“

She was _literally_ swooning inside as he let out a laugh. She was in trouble. 

“Don’t worry. I’m a firefighter. Ladders are my specialty.”

Oh Maker, this was the most _cliché_ situation she had ever been in. A firefighter is offering to save her cat from the damn tree. Wait until Marian and Wynne heard about this at work. 

Eryn was probably going to laugh her ass off. 

“O-okay, let me see if my friend is home,” she said, hurrying across the street. She quickly knocked on the door, hopping on the balls of her feet anxiously. Andraste’s tits, Sera probably got stuck after Tessa got the mail that day and it was almost 7 at night so that meant she was up there all day. A pang of guilt shot through Tessa. The poor thing probably hasn’t eaten yet either. 

Thankfully, Eryn was home. “Hey Tessy, what’s up?” she asked, opening the door wider. Eryn’s husband, Alistair, waved to her from their couch. 

“Can I borrow your ladder?”

Eryn’s brow arched questioningly. “Sure. May I ask why?” she asked, stepping outside and walking toward their garage. 

“Sera is stuck in the tree and—“ 

“What?! Let’s go!”

Eryn hated to admit it, but Tessa knew she had a soft spot for her cat, despite the fact she claimed to be a dog person. 

Tessa followed Eryn across the street, watching in amazement as the small woman was able to lug to darn ladder all by herself. 

“Cullen! We were wondering what was keeping you!” Eryn laughed. 

Wait, her friend knew this guy? 

“Sorry, an emergency came up,” the firefighter, Cullen, said. He rubbed the back of his neck and Tessa almost swooned again when the action caused his shirt to hitch up a little, revealing what looked to be a happy trail. 

Tessa was lost. 

“Well, do your job! That’s my best friend’s baby up there!”

Cullen gave Tessa a grin before grabbing the ladder and getting to work.

Tessa waited next to Eryn in a tense silence. Cullen opened the ladder and got it in position. Tessa’s eyes zeroed in on Sera, who was meowing frantically now. 

Her heart hammered and she prayed to the Maker that Sera wouldn’t try jumping out of the tree or crawling away from Cullen. He finally reached the top and he held onto the branch with one hand and held out the other toward the kitten. He clicked his tongue and started to make kissing noises, speaking in a low, soft voice. 

Thankfully, Sera’s curiosity won over her fear and she started to inch her way toward Cullen’s outstretched hand. 

Cullen finally was able to gently grab Sera by the scruff of her neck and pull her close to him. He adjusted so he was able to hold her to his chest and he slowly started to climb back down. It was laughable how he could have easily held the kitten in the palm of his hand. 

He finally reached the ground and started scratching the top of Sera’s head with his finger. “It’s okay baby girl, you’re safe now,” he crooned. 

Tessa literally felt her heart leap in her chest and she tried to recover as she stepped closer to him. Men being nice to children or animals always was her weakness. 

Cullen’s fingers brushed against hers as he handed Sera back and Tessa felt as if a jolt of electricity shot up her arm from the touch. Her skin felt warm and she used Sera as a distraction from it. The kitten was now meowing happily and nuzzling against Tessa’s neck, purring loudly. 

“Thank you so much,” Tessa said breathlessly. Relief flooded through her. Her baby was safe now. 

Cullen smiled and rubbed the back of his neck. Oh Maker, his eyes crinkled at the corners when he smiled. “Happy I could help…Tessa?”

Tessa nodded with a smile and her breath caught in her throat at his expression. A small grin was still on his face and his eyes softened a little as he glanced down at the kitten. Their eyes met and Tessa bit her lip and buried her face into Sera’s fur. She hoped she wasn’t blushing. Maker’s breath, she _had_ to keep her composure right now. 

“So, now that Sera’s okay,” Eryn said, interrupting the moment, “you get to come over and help eat the pizza Cullen was so nice to bring.”

Tessa looked at her friend and was confused when she saw a knowing smirk on Eryn’s lips. Eryn picked up the pizza from the back of Tessa’s car and motioned to the ladder. “Cullen, can you bring that over?”

Cullen rolled his eyes toward Tessa before picking up the ladder. 

“Come on, Tessy! Put Sera inside and get your butt over here.”

Tessa wandered over to her door, picking up her bag along the way, and set Sera and her bag down inside. “I’m so sorry baby, I’ll make it up to you when I get back.” 

She quickly closed the door and caught up with Cullen, who was just now lugging the ladder across the street. 

“So, how do you know Eryn and Alistair?” she asked, catching up to his side. 

Cullen glanced down at her with a wry grin. “Alistair and I were friends in high school and we work at the same station. I occasionally come over for pizza or takeout night.” His grin grew wider as he readjusted the ladder in his grip. “What about you?”

“I’ve been friends with Eryn since college. They had suggested that I move here when that house went up for sale. I think Eryn just wants a nurse nearby for when Alistair hurts himself.”

Cullen let out a snort of laughter at that. “He is a little accident prone, isn’t he?” His expression became curious. “So, you’re a nurse?”

Tessa halted next to the garage and waited for him to put the ladder away. “Yeah, I work in the trauma center at the hospital.”

“That’s impressive.”

Tessa’s stomach fluttered and she started to feel jittery as he looked at her. Eryn was waiting for them next to her front door. That damn smirk was still on her face. 

Dinner was uneventful for the most part…luckily the pizza was super big because Alistair and Eryn managed to inhale three fourths of it. Eryn still had that shit eating smirk on her face the whole time. 

Tessa couldn’t stop sneaking glances at Cullen the whole time. He was showing he was serious, but was able to take a joke and had a deadpan sort of humor that she always appreciated. There were many times he and Alistair were laughing at an inside joke of theirs. 

He also seemed genuinely interested when he asked her questions. Those amber eyes of his would zero in on her with an intensity she normally would have been intimidated by. But Cullen’s intensity was different and she basked in it. 

She found out about how he grew up in Honnleath and moved to Kinloch and that was where he met Alistair. He had served in the Marines for a few years before moving to Haven and becoming a firefighter. 

“Why did you become a firefighter, Cullen?” she asked, munching on her second piece of pizza. 

Cullen rubbed the back of his head and a small smile appeared. Maker, he had a nice smile. And lips. And hair. And—Tessa cut off her train of thought so she could focus on what he was saying. 

“I always just wanted to help people. And I could never see myself behind a desk or something. I would go mad.”

Tessa grinned at that. “I’m the same way. I could never sit still.”

“Tell me about it,” Eryn snorted around her mouthful of pizza. She jerked her thumb toward Tessa. “This woman would sit on an exercise ball while she studied she fidgeted so much.”

Tessa almost choked. “Eryn!”

“What? You did. It worked apparently because you kicked Marian’s and I’s asses in every class we were in together.”

Tessa fidgeted in her chair and mumbled, “I did not.”

“I remember that! I saw you doing it when I picked up Eryn for a date once,” Alistair chimed in with a big grin. 

With a huff, Tessa took another bite of pizza and ignored her friends. 

Cullen looked amused and he was looking at her with an expression she couldn’t put a label on. 

Tessa finally said goodbye. She decided it was finally time to check on Sera and make sure she was okay. She stopped at the end of the Theirin’s driveway when her phone vibrated in her pocket. She took it out and she was confused to see a text from Eryn. 

“Get him girl,” she read aloud, staring at the thumbs up emoji at the end. “What?”

The sound of the door opening had her turning around and freezing. Cullen had stepped out as well and was walking toward her. “I’ll walk you back,” he said, sticking his hands in his pockets. 

He looked so bashful with the action and Tessa almost didn’t know what to do with herself. “Y-You don’t have to. I’m just across the street and—“

“I want to,” he said quietly, interrupting her. 

“Oh.” 

Everything finally clicked. Eryn’s smirk and text message suddenly made sense. Her friend was trying to play wingman for her. Or she was just hinting at something, Tessa didn’t know which. 

But there was no way she had a chance with Cullen. He was out of her league big time. 

They walked across the street and an electrified silence settled over them. Tessa felt she should say something else, but she couldn’t find the words. 

They made it to her door and Tessa was actually struggling to pull her keys out. “Thank you, for everything. I almost started panicking when I saw her up there,” she said, trying to get her keys in order. Shit, she’s never had this much trouble with keys before. 

“I was glad to help. You’d be surprised how often that happens,” he said lightly, giving her a grin. 

Tessa bit her lip as she smiled and she stared down at her hands. “So you save poor kittens every day? Sounds like a tough life.”

Cullen’s smile grew as he let out soft laugh. “It’s horrible. Makes me want to go back to the Marines.”

Their eyes met again and Tessa felt her heart flutter. Maker, his eyes were so intense and she wished she could keep them on her. 

A loud, muffled meow and a scratching noise ruined the moment. 

Tessa looked at her front window and she let out a laugh to see Sera sitting on the windowsill and pawing at the glass. Her big, blue eyes were begging for attention and her pale yellow fur was fluffed up. 

Cullen’s soft laugh sent chills down her spine and she felt as if she was dreaming as he rubbed the back of his neck. “D-Do you have a pen?”

Without thinking, Tessa took out one of the multiple pens she had in her scrubs pocket. 

“Can I have your number?” He asked the question carefully, and he looked like he was expecting her to say no. 

Tessa, honestly, was in shock. He wanted her number? He actually wanted her number? Numbly, she reached for his hand with jittery fingers. Maker, it was so big and calloused compared to hers. She didn’t even know how she managed to write down her number. 

Cullen glanced down at his hand when she was done and he cleared his throat. “Can I call you tomorrow?”

Tessa couldn’t stop smiling and she nodded, not knowing what to say. “Yeah…I’d like that,” she said, pulling her braid over her shoulder. She tugged at the end, wondering if she was dreaming or not. 

Another loud meow forced them to finally part. He waved as he stepped off her porch and started to walk back across the street. 

Tessa quickly opened her door and slipped inside, collapsing against it as soon it was closed. Sera immediately stumbled to the back of the couch and Tessa almost laughed at how the kitten clumsily flopped down onto the floor before running toward her. 

The nurse slid down to the floor and let the kitten climb up on her. 

“You gave me a scare today, missy,” she giggled as the kitten batted at her braid. 

Tessa picked her up and held to close as a goofy grin came to her lips. “If I would have known you getting stuck in a tree would help me meet a good-looking guy…”

Sera’s loud purr was her only answer and she couldn’t help but laugh.

* * *

Cullen was still in a daze even after he reached his friend’s door again. 

Maker’s breath, did that just happen? 

He glanced down at his hand and a smile came to his lips. He couldn’t believe the pretty nurse he just met was willing to give him her number. Sure, he saved her cat, but that didn’t mean she had to be interested in him. 

He thought about how cute she was once she had her cat again. The way she looked up at him while she buried her face into the kitten’s fur was stuck in his brain. 

Frankly, she was cute in general…and beautiful. 

This wasn’t the first time he had heard of Tessa Trevelyan. Both Alistair and Eryn have been dropping hints about her for a few weeks now. It only started happening when he told Alistair he was getting kind of lonely over a beer one day. 

Now, it seemed Alistair and his wife had made it a personal mission to get him a date. 

Cullen looked back across the street at the little blue bungalow and he couldn’t stop a broad grin from growing. 

The door suddenly opened and Cullen was greeted with the sight of both of the Theirin’s knowing smirks. 

“So?” Alistair asked, wiggling his eyebrows. 

“What did you think?” Eryn demanded, looking giddy. 

Cullen shrugged and pushed his way in-between them to step inside. “She was really nice.”

“Uh huh…nice,” Alistair sarcastically repeated. 

“She was!”

His hand was suddenly being snagged and he was doomed. 

“Ah hah! What’s this? I knew it. You liked her the moment you helped her,” Eryn cheered. 

Alistair peered over his wife’s shoulder at Cullen’s trapped hand. “Look at you, getting her number right off the bat,” he congratulated, patting Cullen’s shoulder. 

Cullen finally managed to yank his hand away from Eryn and he huffed. “Okay, you guys were right. You said I should meet her and that I would like her and you’re right. Happy?”

Eryn looked ecstatic. “Yes! Are you going to call her?”

Cullen rubbed the back of his neck. “That’s not your concern now,” he grumbled. 

“You know I’m just going to weasel it out of her eventually, right?”

Cullen rolled his eyes and he stumbled when Eryn’s mabari, Bear, leaned against his leg. 

“Look, trust me, you have a chance with her. She’s been telling Eryn she’s been wanting to get back in the game too. Give it a chance,” Alistair said. 

Dammit, Alistair just had to know how insecure he was about dating. 

“Just remember that she’s a big of a dork as you are and you’ll be fine,” Eryn continued, pulling a little at Bear’s collar. 

Cullen glanced out the window across the street. 

Maker, he hoped his friends were right.


	2. Chapter 2

As Tessa expected, Marian Hawke was more than amused. 

“So you had a hot firefighter save your kitten yesterday? What a horrible owner,” she teased. 

Tessa lightly kicked her shin under the table and took a sip of her tea. The two women were sitting at their favorite coffee shop in downtown Haven and Marian demanded to hear the story. Tessa was going to have to kill Eryn for spilling the beans. 

“And you gave him your number? He must have been something,” Marian continued, smirking. 

“Yes, I gave him my number. I doubt he’ll actually call, though,” Tessa retorted, sighing a little as she rested her head in her hand. Cullen was way out of her league. 

Marian poked her forehead, rolling her eyes. “Tessa, you are smoking hot yourself. Why wouldn’t he want to text you or something?”

“I’m squishy and my butt is—“

“Perfect. I’ve already told you about my obsession with it. What’s his name, anyway?” Marian raised her cup to her lips. 

“Cullen Rutherford. He’s a friend of Alistair’s actually.”

Marian wiggled her eyebrows. “I say you try talking to him and go on a few dates. He can’t be that bad if he saves cats from trees.”

Tessa buried her face in her hands, groaning. “Marian, that’s the thing. What if he sees how awkward I actually am and decides that—“

“That you’re adorable and gorgeous? He wouldn’t be wrong.”

Being around Marian always boosted Tessa’s ego, but it just wasn’t working today. “Marian, I’m serious. He was nice to Sera after he saved her. I’m in big trouble. What if he doesn’t like me as much?”

“ _I,_ ” Marian paused for her usual dramatic effect, “think you’re overthinking it way too much and you just need to let things happen. Why can’t a smoking hot fireman like you?”

Tessa’s face went deadpan. “You’re going to say all of the fire puns you can now, aren’t you?”

“Of course. And I mean it,” Marian tucked some of her wild, curly hair behind her ear. It popped right back to the side of her face as soon as she lowered her hand. “You need to learn to not freak out and—“

“Marian, you know me. I’m confident in everything else I do. Dating is just…” Tessa trailed off and started to twiddle her thumbs. 

Marian opened her mouth to retort, but the buzz of Tessa’s phone had both of them looking down at the table. 

Tessa picked it up and stared at the number in confusion. “I don’t know this—“ She stopped talking when the realization slammed into her. 

It had to be him. 

“What are you doing?! Pick it up!”

“I will! Now shh!”

Tessa tried to calm her racing heart as she picked up her phone with trembling fingers. Oh sweet Maker, he actually was calling her.

She finally pressed the button and held the phone up to her ear. “Hello?”

“Tessa?”

“Y-yes?”

Marian gave her the ‘keep going’ motion and Tessa waved her off. 

“This is Cullen, from yesterday. I hope I’m not interrupting anything.”

“N-No, you’re not.”

Marian was now making obscene hand gestures and Tessa had to use all of her willpower to not kick her. 

“Oh, good.”

Maker, he sounded just as nervous as she felt. 

A short laugh escaped him when they didn’t say anything for a moment. 

“What?” she asked, letting out a soft laugh of her own. 

“Words. I can never seem to find them when I need to.”

Tessa snickered. “You’re doing okay so far.”

“If you say so.”

Tessa couldn’t stop smiling. She glanced at Marian again and she almost giggled when she saw how her friend was practically draped across the table, trying to listen in. 

“Anyway, I was wondering if you would like to get lunch with me. I just got on lunch break and I know a good place that’s not too far from the station and—“

“Yes! I’d love to,” Tessa answered quickly.

“Y-You would?”

“Where is this place? I’m in town already so I can meet you there.”

He managed to give her the name and address of a little sandwich shop and Tessa was breathless when they both hung up. 

“Tessa Trevelyan, do you have a date?”

Tessa bit her lip as she smiled, nodding. “I think I do.”

“Go! Why are you still here?!” Marian laughed, shoving Tessa’s purse toward her. 

“I am going! Hold your horses.”

Marian basically shoved Tessa out of the coffee shop and pointed her toward the direction of the sandwich shop, which actually wasn’t that far from where they were. 

Tessa stalled by putting more coins in her parking meter before finally making her way down the street. 

Here goes nothing.

* * *

Cullen couldn’t believe this was happening. 

Alistair had offered to cover for him so he could have an hour off instead of his usual half hour for lunch. Cullen knew it was because he and his wife had an evil scheme to somehow get him to call Tessa. 

He was planning on it anyway, he didn’t know what they were so worried about. 

He knew he sounded like an idiot on the phone. He never could seem to find the right words when he talked to beautiful women. Especially the one who had the bluest eyes he had ever seen. He kept himself from pacing as he waited in front of the sandwich shop he told her to go to. The early summer breeze was slightly cool and it helped calm his nerves a little as he waited. 

What if she couldn’t find it? What if she changed her mind? 

All of his questions were blown away when he finally saw her walking down the sidewalk towards him. Maker’s breath, he thought she was pretty when she was wearing scrubs and had her hair pulled back, she was gorgeous out of uniform. 

Her hair curled softly toward the middle of her back and it shone in the sunlight. Her summer dress ended at her knees, showing more than her scrubs did yesterday. 

She smiled at him and waved as she got closer and Cullen was almost speechless. Her smile could light up a room it was so big and bright. 

“Hey,” she said breathlessly. 

“Hello.”

Cullen truly didn’t know what to say. _Thanks for coming? No, that sounds stupid._

“I’ve never heard of this place,” she said, breaking the silence, gesturing to the door. 

Cullen quickly turned and opened the door for her. They stepped inside and only then did he realize he should probably say something. “My sister found it a long time ago when she was going to school at the University. She and I would eat here for lunch a lot.”

“I remember you saying you had siblings. Do you just have a sister?”

Conversation, he could do this. He just had to avoid looking into her eyes, which he now realized where more of a violet color than the blue he thought. Maker give him strength.

“Two sisters and a brother. What about you?”

“I have three older brothers.”

Cullen looked down at her as they stepped into line. “Oh? So you were the baby?”

Tessa grinned and rolled her eyes. “Yes, I was the baby.” She looked up at the menu. “So, what do you suggest?”

“What do you like?”

“Anything but fish and nuts.”

Cullen arched a brow down at her. 

She shrugged sheepishly. “I’m allergic to those things.”

“Wait, does that mean you can’t have peanut butter?”

“Yes.”

“You live a horrible life.”

Her laugh was music to his ears.


	3. Chapter 3

Today was the definition of hell. 

There was a big accident on the highway, so the trauma center had to deal with the patients the ER threw at them. Tessa found herself dealing with a child with a broken arm and multiple burns who would not stop screaming. Then an old woman that every nurse was fighting to keep alive due to her injuries. And then, a rude middle aged man who said the nurses didn’t care about him, simply because he had a simple scrape on his arm and was only kept there because of his concussion. 

Tessa felt like she was dragging when she finally opened the door to her home. She shuffled back to her room and tugged off her scrubs, thanking the Maker that she had the next day off. That meant she could change into sweats and her crappy t-shirt and eat leftover takeout on her couch for the rest of the night. 

She went through the motions, taking out the carton of lemon chicken from her fridge and stirring it a little with her fork before sticking it in the microwave. 

Sera was meowing pathetically now and Tessa finally gave the kitten some attention. She plopped down in one of the chairs at her table and set the kitten in her lap. She sighed and tugged her hair from its braid, piling on top of her head in a messy bun. 

A loud ‘pop’ from her kitchen had her turning around and staring at her microwave. She managed to drag herself over to the microwave and she gasped when she saw that the carton was on fire. 

Holy shit, what should she do?

Without thinking, she grabbed her phone and stared at her contacts, pressing the number at the top of her favorites list. 

She brought the phone to her ear, opening the microwave. 

“Hello?”

Oh shit, she just called Cullen. 

“Uh…don’t laugh.”

A soft huff of laughter graced her ear and Tessa was panicking too much to appreciate it. “Alright, what’s wrong?”

“My lemon chicken is on fire.”

“What?!”

“What do I do?!”

She heard shuffling from his side. “Where is it?”

“The microwave.”

“Get a damp towel, throw it on top of it, and then close the microwave.”

Maker, how was he so calm?

Tessa quickly dug out a dishrag and got it soaking wet before tossing it on the takeout box disaster in her microwave. She slammed the door shut and watched the box like a hawk. 

“Alright, wait a couple moments and check on it.”

Tessa bit her lip and hopped on the balls of her feet a little, trying to make out the carton inside. There was too much smoke now. 

Carefully, she pulled it open and sighed in relief when she didn’t feel any heat. She picked up the rag and her whole body relaxed. “It’s out. Crisis averted.”

“I’m coming over.”

Tessa dropped the rag. “No! You don’t have to. I—“

“I’m wondering why your smoke alarm didn’t go off. I’m coming to check on it.”

The poor nurse didn’t know what to say as he said, “And I’ll bring over something, since your dinner was ruined.”

He hung up, not giving her a chance to respond and she slumped against the counter. She looked over at Sera, who was staring at her curiously from the floor. “Why didn’t I call 911 like a normal person?” she asked aloud. 

Sera rubbed up against her leg, letting out a soft purr as her answer. 

Oh shit, the man she had been texting for the past few weeks is coming over. Tessa pulled the takeout box from the microwave and she groaned when she saw what caused the darn fire in the first place. The metal fork seemed to be laughing at her from its spot in the middle of the chicken. 

Tessa tossed the offending fork in the sink and slammed the takeout box in the trash before running back to her room. Her hair was beyond help, so she didn’t bother, but she put on tights and a t-shirt that didn’t have holes in it. She bustled around her front room and kitchen, throwing away useless mail, tossing blankets in the pile she had behind the armchair, and straightening up as much as she could. 

Maker, she was nervous. 

After their lunch, she and Cullen had started to text or talk to each other daily and she found herself looking forward to seeing his name on her phone. It even got to the point to where she was being brave enough to flirt. 

Oh Maker, was he expecting them to _do_ anything? 

She shook the question away. She knew Cullen wasn’t that sort of person. 

After she deemed the living areas worthy, she plopped down at her table again, tapping her fingernails against the wood. Poor Sera had no idea what was going on and was sitting by Tessa’s feet with curious, wide eyes. 

The doorbell finally rang and Tessa took a deep breath before getting up and opening the door. 

Damn, was she _ever_ going to not feel breathless when she saw him? His hair was slightly disheveled and he was wearing a faded Marines shirt with jeans. Maker, he could probably make anything look good. 

“Hi,” she quickly said, opening the door wider for him. 

He stepped in, looking around the living room for a moment before stepping over to the kitchen table. 

“I brought sandwiches from that deli, is that okay?”

Tessa nodded and inspected the bag he set on the table. “That’s fine. You really didn’t have to.”

Cullen grinned at her and she suddenly realized how tired he looked. There were slight bags under his eyes and he kept yawning. Oh sweet Maker, she remembered that today was his last day of his overnight rotations. Cullen had mentioned his schedule to her and it usually consisted of four days working day shift, a few days off, and then four days of night shift. 

He was probably exhausted and she called him about takeout. 

“I’m sorry I bothered you. I should have just called 911 and-“

“Tessa, you never bother me. Do you have a step ladder?”

Her heart thudded with his words and his small smile was making her jittery. Tessa hurried to her pantry to grab her step ladder. She handed it to him and watched as he get it situated under her smoke detector. 

“The landlords told me nothing was wrong when I moved in,” Tessa mumbled, playing with the hem of her t-shirt. 

“They do that. Usually they’ll only check the batteries and they never test it. Do you have a screwdriver?”

Tessa fortunately had a small tool kit, thanks to her brother, Oliver. 

She reached into the cabinet under the sink and pulled out the small box, searching for the screwdriver. She found it and handed it to him, trying not to shiver when their fingers brushed. 

Cullen opened up the smoke detector and Tessa tilted her head, trying to inspect it from her spot on the floor. 

“Just what I thought,” he grumbled, fiddling with a few wires. “Sometimes when people change the batteries in this brand, the cords inside become unclipped. There. It should catch your next take out accident.” 

He grinned down at her before closing it. 

Tessa blushed and cleared her throat. “I was tired, okay?” she meekly argued. 

Cullen hopped down and set the screwdriver down on the counter. “What happened to make you so tired?”

“The last half of my shift was awful. We got some of the people from that wreck on the highway and I was ready to pass out when I got home. I didn’t even realize I left the fork in the carton until it caught on fire.”

Cullen’s grin only widened and Tessa playfully pushed his shoulder. “Stop laughing at me!”

“I’m not!” 

“Yes you are!”

He started to outright laugh at that point and Tessa huffed and playfully shoved him again. “Meanie.”

“Meanie? Really?”

“We have virgin ears among us,” Tessa joked, gesturing to Sera, who was watching the whole spectacle from one of the chairs at the table. 

Cullen stared at Sera before letting out another string of laughter. “Of course.”

The rest of the night consisted of them eating their sandwiches and watching Kitchen Nightmares, which was Tessa’s guilty pleasure. 

Cullen, surprisingly, was just as engrossed as she was. “This makes me never want to eat at a restaurant again,” he mumbled when the chef came across rotten tomatoes in a fridge…again.

“Same, but I keep watching this and going to them anyway,” Tessa agreed. 

Tessa, honestly, was trying to figure out if it would be okay to lean against Cullen or not. There was only an inch between them on the couch and she was wondering if she should bridge the gap or not. Tessa really, really, _really_ wanted to and she decided to take a leap of faith. 

She leaned against him, resting her head on his shoulder as the opening theme played for the show. Her heart fluttered when he moved his arm around her shoulders and she couldn’t help but smile. 

She didn’t even realize she fell asleep until she woke up to the Netflix screen asking if they were still watching. She glanced up at Cullen and grinned when she heard him softly snoring. She knew he must have been tired from his round of night shifts. 

Tessa tried to move from under his arm without waking him, but he must have been a light sleeper. He jerked awake with a snort. “Whazzit?”

Tessa tried to hold back her laughter, but she didn’t succeed. “I think we both passed out.”

She glanced at the time and winced. It was almost 11:30. Would he be able to stay awake enough to drive home? Deciding to not let him take that chance, she stood up and walked over to her linen closet. “The couch has a pullout bed you can use.”

Cullen cleared his throat, rubbing the back of his head. “It’s alright! I can drive home and-“

“I’m more concerned about you staying awake. Think of this as repayment for the takeout,” she argued, arching a brow at him. 

Cullen sheepishly looked at his feet before standing up and pulling the cushions off the old couch. Soon, her coffee table was moved and the bed was pulled out. Tessa thanked the Maker that she forced herself to put a sheet on the darn thing. She pulled extra pillows from her closet and tossed them on the bed. 

“Blankets are behind the armchair,” she said, stepping closer to him. 

Maker, this was really happening. Cullen was _staying over_. Eryn was going to give her so much shit when Tessa told her about this. 

“I’m sorry this happened I—“

“Was tired because you came over to help silly me when you were probably recovering from working night shift? Thank you,” Tessa interrupted, plucking at the collar of her shirt. “Letting you sleep over so you can drive safely tomorrow is the least I can do.”

Cullen’s surprised expression turned into a warm smile and Tessa was melting on the inside. 

Maker, she never was going to keep her composure around him, was she?

* * *

Cullen usually didn’t sleep well in places that weren’t his home or the station.

But he surprisingly had one of the best night’s sleep of his life at Tessa’s house. He woke to the sound of feet in the kitchen and he slowly sat up and took in his surroundings. He glanced at the clock and inwardly panicked when he saw it was almost 11 in the morning. 

Shit, he must have been more tired than he thought. 

He noticed her kitten, Sera, sitting on the coffee table, staring at him. He smiled and reached out to pick her up before making his way to the kitchen. He held back a laugh when he heard Tessa grumble as she fiddled with the stovetop. 

Maker, she was just adorable, there truly was no other way to describe her. 

Her hair was down and was curling toward the middle of her back and she had on an oversized sweater over her tights this morning. 

“Good morning,” he said, rubbing the sleep from his eyes. 

Tessa jumped and smiled up at him. “Good morning. You can use the shower if you want. Want breakfast? Or do you have somewhere to be?”

Cullen scratched the top of Sera’s head, shaking his head. “No, I have nowhere to be.”

Tessa’s smile grew and she hurried out of the kitchen, beckoning him to follow. Cullen did, taking in her house as he went. It was a small, simple home with hardwood floors everywhere and it represented her perfectly. Cute and simple. 

Maker, he was getting in over his head and he was gladly letting it happen. 

She pulled out a new toothbrush and set a towel out on the toilet and she gestured to it. “What do you like in your omelets?”

Cullen arched a brow at her with a teasing grin. “I thought you said you couldn’t cook and that’s why you watch Kitchen Nightmares.”

Tessa rolled her eyes, giving him a playful push on his shoulder. “I can make simple things! What do you like?”

“Surprise me.”

“Okay, will do!” She stepped past him and took Sera, leaving him alone in the bathroom.

He quickly showered and went through his morning routine before heading back out to the kitchen. Tessa was humming off key and flipping an omelet in her skillet. Sera was sitting at her feet, tail twitching as she watched in curiosity. 

Cullen was surprised by how…right, this all felt. It felt like the most natural thing for him to be there, glimpsing this little part of Tessa’s life. She smiled at him and gestured to the table. “What do you want to drink?”

Cullen plopped down in a chair and shrugged. “I’ll take anything.”

A prick on his leg had him looking down and chuckling when he saw Sera trying to climb up his leg. He picked the kitten up and set her in his lap, idly petting her as he watched Tessa move around her kitchen. 

Soon, he had a perfect, fluffy omelet with spinach, feta, and chicken by the looks of it with a cup of orange juice. 

Tessa sat beside him and started to dig into her own omelet. Cullen almost couldn’t believe the domesticity of the situation and he found himself liking it. 

He took a bite and he closed his eyes, relishing the taste. Maker, since when was the last time he had a decent breakfast?

“Good?”

Cullen gave her a grin around his bite. “Very.”

Tessa looked so proud and Cullen almost didn’t know what to do with himself she was so cute.

Maker, he would eat 20 of her omelets to have her smile at him like that again.


	4. Flowers

“I don’t think we have ever been this slow before,” Wynne commented, gently knocking on some wood after her statement. 

Tessa looked up from her patient’s chart with a grin. “No kidding. I can’t remember the last time I’ve been bored at work.”

It was the slowest day Tessa had ever experience at work. Many of the patients that were there didn’t have serious conditions and their medication schedules were spread out, leaving Tessa with basic nursing assessments and charting. 

Both nurses sat at the station, occasionally discussing care plans and who they were going to discharge that day. Tessa’s mind started to wander as she went on autopilot in the charts. Cullen’s face kept coming to mind and Tessa had to remind herself to not grin stupidly at her computer. Ever since the Chinese incident, Tessa had been feeling more than confident around him. She had doubted Cullen’s interest before, but the Chinese night and the two weeks after squashed those doubts. 

They talked even more now and Tessa had even been on a couple more dates with him. She had been wondering how to go about asking him where he was planning on going with this. She desperately hoped it was a relationship. 

Her train of thought came to an abrupt halt when a PCT practically ran up to the nurse’s station. “Tessa! Stop working! You won’t believe it.”

Tessa shared a confused look with Wynne. “What is it, Merrill?” 

Merrill just hopped on the balls of her feet in excitement and pointed. Tessa’s heart leapt up to her throat when she saw what she was pointing at. 

Walking toward them was Cullen in those mustard yellow firefighter pants with suspenders and a black t-shirt. His hair was mussed and he seemed slightly disheveled, like he just ran here. 

Tessa stared at him, feeling her jaw going slack. What was happening? Her heart started to race and a fluttering feeling settled in her gut when she saw what he was holding. It was a bouquet of flowers. Oh Sweet Andraste. 

He stopped in front of her and all she could do was stare up at him. Should she stand up? Should she ask what he was doing there? What should she do?

“I know this isn’t the best time, but if I don’t do this now I won’t have the courage later,” he started, gulping heavily. 

Oh shit, now all of her co-workers were hovering nearby, acting like they were doing their jobs but actually watching. She even saw sweet Mrs. Davis trying to get a good view from her bed in the room across from the nurse’s station. 

Tessa felt self-conscious for a moment, but it instantly disappeared as she stared up at him hopefully. Could this be what she was waiting for? She started to grin and she gave him her full attention. 

“Tess, I can’t remember the last time I felt so at ease around someone. And I think you’re kind, smart, beautiful, and many other things that I should probably mention.” Cullen’s voice shook a little at the end and he leaned on the counter of the nurse’s station. “I-I want—no—need to know if you will go out with me, officially?” 

Oh Sweet Maker, it really was happening. 

Tessa’s eyes met his and she felt a big smile come to her face. At a loss for words, all she could do was nod. 

A relieved smile came to his face and his eyes lit up with her answer. 

“Kiss him already!”

Tessa whipped her head around at Wynne with wide eyes. Technically, Wynne was her superior and she was always serious. To have the older nurse staring at her with twinkling eyes and a knowing smile was a left hook out of nowhere. 

Everyone was cheering her on now and Tessa could feel her face heating up. _Aw, what the hell!_

She got to her feet, beaming up at him while her heart hammered in her chest. She grabbed the suspenders and pulled him closer over the counter, pressing her lips to his. All of her coworkers let out whistles and cat calls, but she didn’t care. 

She could feel Cullen smiling into the kiss and she felt like she was soaring. 

They finally pulled apart and she couldn’t stop smiling herself. 

This might have been the most cliché situation she had ever been in her life, but she couldn’t have been happier to get caught in it.


End file.
